Report Central Valley & Northern Califonia

Fishing Report (3/10/10) Buzz up!

VALLEY

• NEW MELONES RESERVOIR — Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods said trolling remains the best option and bank fishing has been slow. Rainbows averaging 2.5 pounds have been landed on minnows under a bobber or by trolling bright-colored or shad- patterned spoons such as Apex, Needlefish, ExCels or Kastmasters at 5-25 feet in the mouths of coves or major creek arms. Glory Hole Cove, Mormon Creek, Carson Creek and the steep walls near the dam or spillway are best for trollers, who have landed a few kokanee around 1.5 pounds. Brown trout are in the same areas, but are deeper and closer to structure and hitting Countdown Rapalas or Trophy Sticks in rainbow trout or shad-patterns. Bass bite remains fair to slow, with best action for smaller spots upriver and along steep banks near the dam with Texas-rigged plastics or jigs with larger fish taken on swimbaits. Catfishing has been slow, as the fish are in deeper water. Anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken livers or night crawlers are still the best baits. Crappie and bluegill fishing is fair at night under submersible lights near Bear, Mormon or Carson creeks with small or medium minnows or crappie jigs in red/white, black/chartreuse or purple/white at 25-40 feet near structure. Call: 736-4333; Monte Smith 581-4734; Danny Layne 586 2383; Sierra Sport Fishing 599-2023.

• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR / O'NEILL FOREBAY — Ly Tu of Ly's Fishing Goods reported striper fishing remains slow in the main lake, which has risen to near capacity. The forebay is best for 20- to 24-inch fish on anchovies or white Fish Traps. A few trollers are working the lake with broken-backed Rebels or the new P-Line Angry Eye Predators despite the muddy water. A few catfish had been taken on frozen clams near check 12. Mark Pineda of Coyote Bait and Tackle said stripers to 7 pounds have been biting anchovies or minnows at check 12 or the bridge in the forebay. Call: Wind conditions (800 805-4805; Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711.

• McSWAIN RESERVOIR — The banks at the handicapped docks or the brush pile are the top locations for planted trout with various colors of Power Bait or Power Eggs, particularly Bubble Gum and Sunrise. Trollers are working from the chimney to the second fence line with Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler or minnow imitation plugs. The lake is scheduled to be planted by the end of this month. Call: 378-2534.

• McCLURE RESERVOIR — Manny Basi of the Bait Barn in Waterford said the numbers of bass are not a problem, but their size is. He recommended the ½- or ›-ounce Berserk Purple Hornet jig or drop-shotting with the Pro Gold redflake color 300 at 40-50 feet deep. Live minnows have been hot from the banks. There have been few reports of trout, but regular trollers are making plans to start working the lake, which is a sure sign of the potential for action. No catfish or crappie reports. The lake came up 5 feet to 777.35 in elevation and 51 percent capacity. Call: A-1 Bait 563-6505; Bub Tosh 404-0053.

• LAKE DON PEDRO — Manny Basi of the Bait Barn said smallmouth bass have moved into the shallows, and anglers are targeting them with RatLTraps, jigs or crankbaits close to the banks. A 12-pound bass was landed by John Meyers of Merced on the Berserk jig in Purple Hornet during Saturday's American Bass Tournament. The most consistent fishing continues to be on the bottom at 40-50 feet with the Pro Worm in ProGold small redflake. Live minnows are hot for bank anglers. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said king salmon are scattered from the dam upriver in the Tuolumne River near Rough and Ready Island. He recommended rolling shad for the larger fish, and he thought the high water upriver would allow trollers to work above the submerged trees near Rough and Ready Island. There are large numbers of small kings in the 12- to 13-inch range, and Smith advised gently releasing the salmon to allow these fish to grow to trophy size. Trout trolling has been slow with the best action on red Apex lures trolled at around 3 mph. The lake rose 3 feet to 792.53 feet in elevation and 78 percent capacity. Call: Monte Smith 581-4734; Danny Layne 586-2383; Bait Barn 874-3011.



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